Getting Gasoline in Italy

Pauline Kenny

Getting gas for your car is pretty much the same as in the US, but read
through this page to see some of the differences in closing times and payment
methods.

Gas Stations

There are gas stations all over Italy, but you must remember that many
of them close one day a week (like the stores and restaurants) and many close
for several hours in the middle of the day. You can actually see a gas station
with an "open" sign (meaning it is open that day) but find that it is closed
for the midday. The gas stations on the Autostrada are open all day (I do
not know if they are open all night).

This picture shows a modern, American style, gas station on the main road
in Rosia, a small town west of Siena. You pull in, the attendant pumps the
gas. You pay the attendant. Note that in this photo, the station is closed
(chiuso - get to know this word, you will see it often).

Here is a picture of a very small gas station at the edge of Radicondoli,
a small town in western Tuscany. You just pull in and the attendant pumps
your gas.

Types of Gas

Be sure you know what type of gas your rental car takes

Be sure you know what type of gas your rental car takes because filling
a car with the wrong kind of gas makes it stop working; not right away in
the gas station, but after you have driven awhile. You have to be towed to
a gas station and then have the tank drained. Don't think this can't happen
to you - I have read several trip reports recently where this happened to
people. One person assumed the attendant at the full serve station would know
what gas to put in, but they didn't. Another person assumed their car took
unleaded because no one told him different and it did not say anywhere on
the car that it was diesel, but it was a diesel. Usually there is a sticker
on your gas tank cover, either inside or outside, that indicates that the
car takes diesel, but always ask at the rental agency to be sure.

Diesel Gas

In our experience, the mid-size cars and larger are usually diesel. Our
Opel Vectra on our Fall 2001 trip was diesel. The Opel Vectra is comparable
to an Alfa 156 in size. On previous trips we have rented smaller cars, comparable
to an Alfa 146, and these always used unleaded gas. The larger cars may use
more gas, but the diesel gas is cheaper than the unleaded.

Gas Prices

The price of gas is about $5.25 a gallon (summer 2004). According to Cristina
from www.expatsinitaly.com,
the price in August 2004 is 1.15 euro per liter. Calculating at 3.785 liters
per gallon, that makes it 4.35 euro per gallon, which at the August 2004 exchange
rate is about $5.25 per gallon.

Self Service Stations

You will find self service gas stations in Italy. They are usually open
all day, even during the midday closing hours. You put a euro bill into the
machine and tell it which pump you are at. You do not get change. Here is
a picture of one type of machine. This one machine takes the money for several
pumps. It has pictures of the bills you can use below the slots where you
put them in. The instructions for using this machine are on the small display
screen. Another type of machine and a translation of its instructions are
shown below.

Italian gas pumps go much faster than ours in the US - your tank is filled
in about a quarter of the time. Forget about anyone washing your windshield
or finding anything to do it yourself!

Below is a good example of a self-serve pump. They have pictures of the
bills you can use beside the slot where the bill goes. This machine is just
for one pump, but some are for several pumps and you need to tell it what
pump you are at. Here is a translation of the instructions.

(Note: This picture was taken before the change to the euro.)

Instructions - English

Attention:

Put in bill to the right.

10,000 and 50,000 lire bills.

The maximum total is 90,000 lire.

The device doesn't give change.

Remove the fuel nozzle from the supply valve only after having selected
the desired fuel source.

After removing the fuel nozzle wait at least three seconds before starting
fuel delivery.

Do not put in additional bills before replacing the fuel nozzle in the
supply valve.